Chelsea

Chelsea announce squad numbers for 2023-24 season

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 08 August 2023

Chelsea announce their squad numbers for the 2023-24 campaign, a number of high-profile players missing out on being given a shirt.

Chelsea have announced an updated list of their shirt numbers, one which highlights that a number of players remain out of Mauricio Pochettino's plans for the new season.

The Blues have endured a chaotic summer in the transfer market, seeing new arrivals and former loan players arrive to take the place of the wide array of players that have departed Stamford Bridge.

Robert Sanchez, Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson are the four senior acquisitions, the latter choosing to take the number 15 shirt.

Meanwhile, Nkunku, who has been ruled out for four months with a knee injury, has opted to take on the number 18 shirt, with those respective decisions leaving the number nine shirt vacant.

Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku on August 3, 2023 © Reuters

Sanchez will occupy the number 31 shirt, a consequence of Kepa Arrizabalaga and Marcus Bettinelli already being in possession of number one and 13 respectively.

Disasi will wear number two, while French youngster Lesley Ugochukwu has been allocated number 16 despite suggestions that he could go out on loan.

Diego Moreira and Angelo Gabriel, who have arrived from Benfica and Santos respectively, do not have squad numbers, and neither does Cesare Casadei, an indication that they will go elsewhere.

Of the players who have returned from loan, Levi Colwill becomes the latest holder of the number 26 shirt, famously worn by legendary defender John Terry and vacated by Kalidou Koulibaly.

Brighton & Hove Albion's Levi Colwill pictured on December 21, 2022 © Reuters

Andrey Santos will wear number 20, Malo Gusto is the new occupant of number 27 and Ian Maatsen will have possession of number 29.

In terms of changes, Enzo Fernandez and Mykhaylo Mudryk have moved to shirt numbers eight and 10 respectively, while Raheem Sterling now has number seven, rather than 17.

Marc Cucurella (three), Benoit Badiashile (five), Noni Madueke (11), Carney Chukwuemeka (17) and Armando Broja (19) have also taken on different numbers.

However, no numbers have been given to Hakim Ziyech, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Romelu Lukaku, a clear indicator that they will be allowed to leave Chelsea before the end of the month.